“Lee…  I dare say you’ve had too much ale.”

As the night progressed, the woman had begun to get rowdy.  Simon could sense her attitude towards some of the less tactful patrons growing less cordial, and he hoped to separate her before she tried to fight men much bigger than her.

“And what of yourself?” she said, folding her arms in front of her chest.  “Who are you to talk, Belmont?  You’ve had as much as I.”

Simon laughed and shook his head.

“You have drunk as much as a man twice your size.”

Leonine rolled her eyes.

“We should leave regardless.  Your mother is probably worried about you,” Simon added.

“Pfft.”  Leonine waved her hand.  “That woman is probably enjoying the peace and quiet!”

He held his hand out for her.  She looked at it, then looked at her empty stein.

“Can I have one more for the road?” she asked.

“I think you have had one too many already,” he said.  “Let us get going before you cause any trouble.”

Leonine sighed before the sound of chair legs scraping the wooden floor was heard.  She stood, perhaps too quickly considering her level of inebriation, and could not find her balance.

“Easy.”

Leonine found Simon’s arm around her waist, preventing her from toppling over, and she took the luxury of throwing an arm around his shoulder to steady herself.  Everything she had drank hit her in that moment.  She felt the warmth of the alcohol all over, but especially in her cheeks with Simon holding her so closely.  She wriggled out of his arms when she began to feel flustered.

“Let us go, Belmont,” she mumbled.

Simon followed close behind as she tried to make it out of the tavern.  She reached the door with the help of the wall, but the moment she was outside with nothing to hold on to, she did not fare as well.  Unwilling to allow her to hurt herself, Simon scooped her off her feet.

“Put me down, Simon Belmont!” Leonine squealed.  “I have legs too, you know!”

“Ah, yes.  How could one forget those short, little legs of yours?” he laughed.  “We might reach your home by noon tomorrow if I allow you to stumble your way home.”

Leonine responded with a scoff.

“Anyone has ‘short, little legs’ compared to a goliath like you!”

A mere grunt was his response as he continued on his way.

Despite her reaction, his words did not terribly offend her, nor did she mind that he insisted on toting her around like a child.  The truth was that she adored being carried by him.  The Belmont’s might was remarkable.  With ease, he carried her down the trail in the direction of her mother’s home.

Leonine didn’t consider herself dainty by any means.  While stature may have been short, she wasn’t some waif of a girl and was mindful that she wasn’t exactly the lightest of women.  Simon may have been strong, but she still did not want to be a burden to him.

“Surely, you do not intend to carry me the whole way.”

“I do not wish for you to get hurt,” he admitted.

“Oh, noble Sir Belmont,” she said, stroking his hair.  “Whatever would the damsels of Wallachia do without you?”

In spite of her jesting, Leonine appreciated Simon.  She truly did.  There was not another man in the village like him.  None had half the patience he did when it came to dealing with her.  None were as handsome in her opinion either, nor as strong.  She doubted those deadbeats at the tavern were capable of a fraction of the feats as her Simon.

Her Simon.  Listen to her…  If Simon had any intentions of marrying her, he would have done so by now.  Oh, how nice it would be if he were her husband.  There was no other man she would take.  She grew quiet, resting her head against him as she fantasized about it. 

Her imagination went wild.  Not only were they married, she thought about having a family…  Which had her stopping to consider that the two were opposites physically.  Who could say how their children would end up?  Still tipsy, she found herself feeling the need to bring up this concern.

“Belmont,” she whispered against his ear.

“Yes, Leonine?”

“If you and I were to have a child, which one of us would he take after?”  She gave him a chance to respond, then lifted her head when she heard nothing from him.  “Have you ever wondered?”

“Lee…”  Simon paused to clear his throat.  “‘Tis best if we not think about that in this moment.”

“Oh, but could you imagine?” she continued, completely ignoring his advice.  “A small Belmont?  Think you he would strike fear in monsters’ hearts?”

The mental image had her cracking up.  She buried her face in the crook of Simon’s neck as she devolved into giggles.  Her laughter was contagious.  In spite of himself, Simon began to chuckle as well.

“Height matters not,” he told her.

“No?” she asked.

“For example, you are quite fearsome at your size,” he said.  “Those men in the tavern did seem intimidated by you.  A child with your tenacity would surely make a valiant hunter.”

“Fearsome?” laughed Leonine.  “Are you intimidated by me, Belmont?”

Once again, Simon grew quiet, which only further tickled her.  She raised her head in hopes of seeing his expression.  His eyes avoided hers, which all but confirmed her question.

“You are!”

“I know you would not hesitate to challenge me should I cross you.”

“You are silly, Simon,” she said as she rested her head on him again.